"I was also considering Jung Woo-ju as the closer..." Failed transformation from fireman to starter, decided to deploy him again in the 8th inning [Changwon]

*This content was translated by AI.

"If we are leading in today's game, you will see him."

Jung Woo-ju (20, Hanwha Eagles), who had a stellar season last year as the fireman, attempted the risky move of switching to a starter midway through the season but ultimately failed to settle in and has returned to the bullpen. Hanwha manager Kim Kyung-moon (68) announced that Jung Woo-ju will be used again as a setup man.

Hanwha will start 'college graduate' Park Jun-young (24) in the away game against NC Dinos at Changwon NC Park on the 27th for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League season.

Although the starting spot was originally intended for Jung Woo-ju, who had switched from the bullpen to a starter, he failed to capitalize on the three opportunities as previously stated, so he has returned to the bullpen, and Park Jun-young will take his place.

There have been many changes in the pitching staff since the beginning of the season. After Owen White was sidelined due to injury, Jack Cushing was brought in as a temporary replacement, but closer Kim Seo-hyun fell into a severe slump. Ultimately, Manager Kim decided to use Cushing as the closer.

Although White has returned, Cushing's departure created a void in the closer role. Furthermore, Moon Dong-ju was ruled out for the season due to a shoulder injury, deepening the concerns over mound management.

Manager Kim initially considered Lee Min-woo as the closer. He intended to fill the starting vacancy with Jung Woo-ju, but after allowing seven runs in nine innings over three games, he was significantly shaken. Consequently, Jung was moved back to the bullpen, and Park Jun-young, who had earned the first-ever starting win by a development player in KBO history, was given the starting opportunity again.

Jung Woo-ju has returned to his familiar spot. Signed as the second overall pick last year with a signing bonus of 500 million won, Jung Woo-ju was highly anticipated. He was responsible for 53 2/3 innings in 51 games, posting a record of 3 wins, no losses, 3 holds, and an ERA of 2.85. After the season ended, he donned the national team jersey and participated in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Was it due to the aftermath of that, or the second-year jinx? Jung Woo-ju appeared in 18 games as a reliever this season, finishing with an ERA of 6.75. Although the option of switching to a starter was considered, it did not yield any significant results.

Ultimately, he returned to his familiar position. The problem was control. Last year, he allowed only 21 walks throughout the season, but this season he has already allowed 19 walks. His walks per nine innings stand at 7.66, a stark contrast to last year's 3.52.

Although he has not yet regained his stability, Manager Kim has decided to entrust Jung Woo-ju with a heavy responsibility. Manager Kim stated, "If we are leading in today's game, you will see him in the 8th inning. Actually, I initially considered using him as the closer, but since Lee Min-woo is performing well, there is no need to disrupt the team. So, I thought about keeping him in that spot until Min-woo is ready and using him in the 8th inning. After discussing with the pitching coach, if we are leading, he will come out in the 8th inning."

Hanwha, which has surged to fifth place with three consecutive wins, lined up against opposing pitcher Natsuki Toda with Lee Won-seok (center fielder)-Yonatan Peraza (right fielder)-Moon Hyun-bin (left fielder)-Kang Baek-ho (designated hitter)-Noh Si-hwan (third baseman)-Kim Tae-yeon (first baseman)-Lee Do-yoon (second baseman)-Heo In-seo (catcher)-Sim Woo-jun (shortstop).

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*This content was translated by AI.